A plane belonging to Jazeera Airways, which hit an unidentified object, landed safely, according to KUNA.
The Airbus A320 which took off from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was heading to Kuwait when the incident happened.
However, sources said that one of the two engines of J9 787 was damaged due to friction, at an altitude of 5,000 feet, with a control radar balloon belonging to the Kuwaiti Defence Ministry
“The aircraft continued to operate normally and land safely,” the airline said in a statement, adding that the safety of the passengers was not compromised as they all disembarked the aircraft at the gate.
“All aircraft systems and parameters continued to operate normally, and the pilots operated and landed the aircraft safely,” it added.
Upon landing, the aircraft was inspected and the damage to one of the aircraft's two engines (Engine #2) was identified, according to the statement, which added the aircraft is currently under repair.
A thorough investigation is currently underway by the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA), in addition to the airline's own investigation.
Jazeera Airways has officially extended to DGCA its support and commitment to aid in its investigation and identifying the on-ground and in-air circumstances that led to the incident, it said.
"The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance to Jazeera Airways at all times," it stressed.
(With inputs from Saudi's Al Riyadh newspaper)